By Ebuka Onyekwelu, Ph.D
The Anambra State House of Assembly has commended Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, CFR, for his timely intervention in halting the crisis between Amaeze Aguleri in Anambra East LGA and Umuoba Anam, in Anambra West LGA, which claimed at least three lives. In a motion of commendation of the Governor sponsored by Hon. Obi Nweke, Esq. (Anambra East State Constituency) and seconded by Hon. Patrick Udoba (Anambra West State Constituency), the House of Assembly unanimously commended Governor Soludo’s timely response, while also calling for a permanent solution to the recurrent violence in the area.
Arguing his motion, Hon. Obi Nweke, the member representing Anambra East LGA, noted that violent confrontations involving communities in Anambra East and West LGAs dates back to more than a century ago. “Violence is prevalent in the communities and dates back to over a century ago,” Hon. Nweke said. He also pointed out the intervention of Nigeria’s former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, in the violence between Umueri and Aguleri in 1999, when the former president personally visited the communities. He then noted that the recent violent clash was the shortest due to Governor Soludo’s timely intervention. “About three lives were lost. If not for Mr. Governor’s intervention, it would have snowballed into something more disastrous,” Obi Nweke said, as he called on the Governor to uphold his intervention for a sustained peace.
The motion subsequently received support from Hon. Ikenna Ofodeme, the Majority Leader of the House, who, while thanking the governor for his timely intervention, observed that the violence is tied to boundary disagreements and communal land disputes. He also noted that such violent clashes also exist in other communities in Anambra State due to communal land disputes, which can be remedied through civil court procedure. He then concluded that people must be held accountable in situations like this. “People must be held liable. Those involved in organizing this war must be decisively dealt with. This approach (violence) is unacceptable,” Hon. Ofodeme said.
In their submissions, both Hon. Jude Umennajiego and Hon. Jude Akpua, who supported the motion, thanked the governor for his urgent intervention, but also called for punitive measures against sponsors of the violence and community leadership if found to be culpable.
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